Accidents Happen

I've been in Phnom Penh for less than 3 weeks and have already seen 3 moto accidents. The first one was minor and all I saw of the second one was a SWARM of at least 50 people shouting and holding up traffic in a chaotic circle in the middle of the road. The scene brought new meaning to the term “gawker’s delay.” VSO has taught us to stay out of situations like this for our own safety, so I was a good girl and moved on.

The third accident, however, really shook me up. I was riding my bike home at around 9 PM or so two nights ago and was only about a block away when I heard a loud thud. Suddenly, everyone over a block away was shouting and running in the direction of the sound. What I wouldn't have given to hear what they were saying and to know what exactly had happened. I knew I should stay out of it, but curiousity got the best of me. All I did was ride my bike by, but it was enough to see two men lying on the street, eyes closed like they were sleeping, but in un-natural positions. Two motos were also lying abondoned on the street about twenty feet apart. A small crowd was already growing so I didn't hang around to see more. What I had already seen twisted my stomach and frightened me enough to have me franticly praying and thanking God the rest of the way home and up the stairs to my place. Eventually, about 15 minutes later, I heard sirens out the window. I didn't see any blood so I pray to God that those men are okay and that I never end up in a similar predicament.

EDIT (4/1/09):
In retrospect, after talking to other volunteers, I realize I may have overreacted a bit. People have been telling me all sorts of stories about cross-country buses running over passers-by without even stopping, trucks falling off cliffs, bloody car accidents. During the day, I feel "relatively" safe because everyone drives so slowly and cautiously that accidents are usually too small to cause too much damage... to the point where I think I'm starting to get a little reckless myself and need to stop cutting people off, weaving between cars, riding up on sidewalks, running red lights and turning left down the wrong side of the road just because its easier than cutting all the way across (everybody does it!). At night, however, it can get really dangerous because the streets are dead past 10 PM and the motos go FAST without taking the normal pre-cautions to slow down or stop at any crossroads.